Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology convened a meeting chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan to review allegations of embezzlement involving illegal call centres. The case, which involves officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), is centred around an alleged monthly amount of Rs15 million being extorted from illegal call centres.
According to a news report, officials informed the committee that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is handling the case under its Anti-Corruption Wing. A first information report (FIR) has been filed against 13 suspects, with the allegations pointing to extortion linked to illegal call centre activities. The total amount in question is Rs300 million.Â
So far, Rs1.5 million has been recovered from a sub-inspector involved in the case. Out of the 13 suspects, five are on bail, three remain in custody, and three others are still unaccounted for.
FIA officials indicated that the inquiry could expand if further evidence emerges, potentially involving personnel from other departments.Â
The secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology informed the committee that call centres are not illegal if they are registered, but those engaging in unlawful activities are considered illegal. He stated that there are currently around 3,000 registered call centres in Pakistan.
NCCIA officials reported that they received approximately 150,000 cybercrime complaints last year. A major raid in Karachi had led to the identification of large illegal call centres, and arrests are still ongoing.Â
The additional interior secretary highlighted that while technology evolves rapidly, leaving agencies behind, cybercrime now extends beyond call centres and includes social media-related activities.
